Just a Starling...

My experience in bird watching usually includes a lot of, "Oh, that was just a dirty little gray bird."  Or, disappointedly, "That's just a starling...or a dove....or a sparrow."  I am not too excited  to have a starling show up at our bird feeders and take food that we hoped would entice the more colorful and less common species.  However, I had a different experience the other day as I got up from the lunch table and headed outside to our other fridge to retrieve the dessert.  I heard the most horrific screeching that just wouldn't quit.  Looking around, I noted that a sharp-shinned hawk had something in its talons on the edge of our property.  I came inside and, by now, Don was through with his telephone call.  He got his binoculars and said that the poor screeching bird was a starling--JUST a starling.  My emotions couldn't keep that in mind as for the next 10 minutes the hawk tortured the poor bird to death while it worked at eating lunch.  Don got his camera and went outside to get a better view than through our blind slats or porch railing.  

He was able to get closer--enough so that the hawk extended its wings in a protective stance.  It didn't want Don to have any of its lunch!

  It reminded me of the scripture in the  Doctrine and Covenants 43:24-- O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a ^ahen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye ^bwould not!

 25 How oft have I ^acalled upon you by the mouth of my ^bservants, and by the ^cministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of ^dthunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of ^efamines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a ^ftrump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of ^gmercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the ^hriches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an ⁱeverlasting salvation, but ye would not!

While the comparison isn't really the same, it reminded me of another way the Savior uses wings to let us know that He will gather us in and protect us if we just choose to let Him.

It also reminds me that we're all precious to Him.  I'm sure He doesn't say, "Oh, that's just a dirty little (or big) gray lady."  And... hawks and starlings would probably be equal....

Wings in Tennessee

This is the usual position in which I get to photograph Don.:) It was a gray day and the winged creatures weren't being photographed at their best on the lake.  We were at Cove Lake Park in Tennessee earlier this month where we flew to see Don's brother and wife as they are serving a mission for the LDS Church.

  They are visiting frequently with the fellow at the head of the table, Buster, who actually served a mission himself here years ago, but who gave a talk in church and told about wondering why we even need an atonement.  They were thrilled that he accepted the assignment,  but are hoping to engender in him a bit more understanding. We went to the home of these good people Monday morning and had what they termed a typical southern breakfast. Luscious! Delightful people!  The lady on the left has been a stalwart in that area working in the branch.  She's the mother of Buster's wife.  Buster has a regular bird refuge in his backyard and Don had a hay day taking shots of birds out that door you might see in the background.  We wish birds of this sort would frequent our bird feeders!

Tufted Titmouse

Blue Jay

Cardinal

Downy Woodpecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Carolina Chickadee

What do Birds, Planes, and Christ Have in Common?

This is a Brown Pelican taken from our porch as we were staying in Point Clear, Alabama. The one below is  a Blue Heron. Don takes so many wonderful pictures of birds--but I took these!

At this moment in our lives, "wings" seem to define us.  (Who else goes to Hawaii and comes home with tons of bird pictures and only a few of scenery that Hawaii is famous for?) Wings of birds, wings of planes, and may I adopt the symbolic wings of angels that the world uses?  [We think our children and grandchildren are angels! :)] Then there is the all important role that Christ plays in our lives with using the symbolic wings again:

   2 Nephi 25:13 Behold, they will ^acrucify him; and after he is laid in a^bsepulchre for the space of ^cthree days he shall ^drise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have ^eseen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

Though we don't believe Christ literally has wings, we know He has the power to heal.

Isaiah 40: 31 But they that ^await upon the Lord shall ^brenew their^cstrength; they shall mount up with wings as ^deagles; they shall^erun, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

We have a private family blog, but I felt I wanted to do my own public one based on Elder Ballard's suggestion that we use the Internet for good things: " Make sure that the choices you make in the use of new media are choices that expand your mind, increase your opportunities, and feed your soul... As I said in the beginning, the power of words is incredible. Let your voice be heard in this great cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ."  These two sentences came from a talk he gave at a commencement in BYU-Hawaii in December of 2007.Elder Ballard

Hopefully, I can stay motivated and walk and not faint!